Folding shutter



M. D. LAFUENTE.

FOLDING SHUTTER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 9. I918.

Patented Mar. 1, 1921.

0 ag? M a @QEQQQQM ,g a O UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FOLDING SHUTTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 1, 1921.

Application filed March 9, 1918. Serial No. 221,519.

To all whom itmay concern..-

Be it known that I, MANUEL DURAN LAFUENTE, mechanic, a subject of the King of Spain, residing at Calle Maipfi 671, Bucnos Aires, Argentine Re ublic, have invented new and useful mprovements in Folding Shutters, of which the following is a s ecification.

his invention relates to an improved metallic shutter, substantially characterized by the particular manner in which the parts which constitute the structure, are folded and lodged withina recess or cavity formed at one or both sides of the frame, according to whether the shutter consists of one or of two doors or, parts.

As will be understood from the following description, the manner of openin or folding the shutter constitutes a novelty in the construction, while the jointing of the plates and their sectional shape give the structure an appearance and perfection not attained heretofore.

By means of a particular stamping process, I obtain 0 nings adapted to facilitate ventilation while at the same time the rigidity of each plate in transverse direction is considerably increased.

The hinge tubes are formed by a detachable plate, firmly afiixed by means of rivets and fitting within a groove formed by stamping in the plate.

This arrangement, while rendering the structure more solid, allows of repairs be ing easily carried out.

A recess or pocket formed at one or both sides of the frame, according to whether the shutter consists of one or of two parts or sheets, serves to contain the shutter plates when folded. By this means, when the shutter is open, nothing is seen thereof, except the handle and the angle iron which forms the edge of the shutter and which closes the opening through which the plates pass into the recess.

This system of shutter or blind offers considerable advantages over the ordinary form of construction, not only on account of their reduced weight and simple construction but also because, when open, they entirely disappear from view and are no obstruction as 1s the case with the blinds which operate as doors. Besides, when the shutter is in its open position, it remains entirel protected against the weather, a fact which much assets in its life,

In order that this specification ma be readily understood, detailed drawings ave I been annexed thereto, in which:

Fi ire 1 shows a front elevation of a meta lic horizontally movable shutter, constructed in 'acccordance with this invention.

Fig. 2. is a sectional View of the shutter, on the line A-B of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged upper plan view, illustratingthe manner in which the plates which form the shutter, are jointed together and fold one upon another.

In said drawings, 1 and 2 respectively, are an upper and a lower groove which serves as guide and frontal retention means for the whole structure; -said grooves pass into the recess 3 where they branch so as to form a fork for guiding the plates in their folding movement. The front of said recess is partly covered by the plates 4 which only leave the necessary openin for the passage of the stamped plates 5. .hese latter have a plain center with parts embossed toward both sides, so that a series of openings is obtained for the purpose of facilitating ventilation. The longitudinal sides of said plates are curved or corrugated in a suitable form, not only for the purpose of reinforcing the same but also to obtain the superposition of a fraction of said edges at the places where they formthe joint. Said embossed plates are connected together by means of hinges 6, the pins of which are arranged alternately at one side and the other and whose flanges or flaps are riveted to and partlyv inserted into channels or grooves stamped in the said plate. The number of series of hinges to be used will depend on the dimensions to be given to the shutter and the strength to be lmparted to thewhole structure.

The inner end of the shutter is jointed to the retention hinges 7 rigidly secured at the inner front of the recess and which in number correspond to that of the series of plate hinges.

The free end of the shutter is formed by the an le iron 8, provided with the handle 9 and aving at its lower part a roller 10 which by bearing on the bottom of the channel 2, allows of moving the shutter without difiiculty. To said angle iron any suitable or desired retention or looking device may be applied, according to whether the shutter consists of one or of two parts or doors,

As may be seen in Fig. 3, the folding in one and the other direction of the embossed plates, is assured in its operationby the guide furnished by the forked part formed at the upper and lower part of the recess and also by the eccentric relation in which i the hinges of one edge are arranged with at opposite sides of the recess, and a plu' rality of vertical plates hinged together at their longitudinal verticaledges, the hinges being spaced from the ends of the plates,

one end plate being hinged at one longitudinal edge to thevertical end wallof the recess, said plates having their upper and lower ends extending into the guideways and adapted to fold in the recess with their ends engagingthe flanged members of the forked ends of the guideways.

2. In a shutter, the combination with a door or window frame havin a vertical recess at one side, of upper and ower guideways, each having a forked end extending into the recess and forming spaced guide members at opposite sides of the recess of the frame, and a plurality )ofvertical plates having curved longitudinal side'portions and hinged vtogether at their longitudinal vertical edges on alternate: opposite sides,

one end plate being hinged in the recess,

said.- plates having their upper and lower ends mounted inthe guideways and adapted to foldin-the recess with the ends of their hinged. edges engaging the members; of the forked end of the guideways. 7

v MANUEL DURAN LAFUENTE. WVitnesses':

A. L. BnLLo, 1 J. SAN RoMAIN. 

